Spring-cushion.



' PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

RDENBGRE. SPRING CUSHION.

APPLIUATION FILEDl DEG. 5. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

' will UNITED STATES` Patente@ August 3o, 1904..

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD DENEGRE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MCCORD la COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPRING-CUSHION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,590, dated August 30, 1904.

Application filed December 5, 1903. Serial No'. 183,845. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.'

Beit known that I, EDWARD" DENEGEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedl certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Cushions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others Askilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to springcushions combined or incorporated with frictional retarding devices, and is in the nature of an improvement on the device set forth and vclaimed in the prior patent to A. C. McCord,

' No. 709,998, of date September 30, 1902, and

on the device set forth and claimed in my own prior patent, No. 709,969, of the same date, both entitled Spring-cushion.

My present invention embodies lthe best features of the devices disclosed in saidtwo prior patents and accomplishes this result by extremely simple, inexpensive, and efficient construction.

The invention is illustrated in the ac companying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is avertical section taken through a spring-cushion embodying the features of my present invention,- said section being taken on the line m of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section taken through the said cushion on the line x2 me of Fig.' l. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing in detail one of the divided or split rocking spring-bases. Fig. I is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3'; and Fig. 5 is a detail in plan, showing a portion ofthe spring base-plate, some parts being sectioned and others being broken away.

The coiled springs l, of which, as shown, there are four, react against an upper cap-plate 2 and indirectly on a lower base-plate 3. The top of the cap-plate 2 is .straight or flat, and it has downturned ends with which engage under a sliding frictional pressure `upturned ends of the base-plate 3, the latter, as shown. engaging within 'the former. The bottom of the base-plate 3 is straight throughout the main portion of its length; but near its endsthat is, near the points where its ysides turnvertically upward%it is bent to give the same an upward incline, as indicated at 3". Inline with the axes ofthe 'several springs 1 the base-plate 3 is formed with perforations or retaining-seats 4. The base of eachy spring rests upon a split or divided rocking base 5, the sections of which have depending retaining-lugs l6, that work in the retaining-seats 4.

The two sections of thedivided y base approximately round bearings for the springs,

and the bases of the springs .bear upon the upper peripheral portions thereof. At points about midway between the axis of the divided base and its peripheral portions'th'e undersurfaces of the sections are beveled so as afford fulcrum edges 7, that extend transversely of the spring base-plate 3. On their uppersurfaces the sections of the divided bases 5 are' formed with supplemental bosses 8, that 'serve springs on theperipheral portions of the split bases 5 tends to rock the said base-sectionson their fulcrum edges 7 and that the downward pressure on the outer base-sections tends to press the upturned ends of the divided bases 3 tightly into engagement` with the downturned ends Aof the cap-plate 2.,"and it will be further understood that the greater the pres'- sure of the spring the greater will be the frictional engagement between the said cap and base plate.y

It is of course evident that when the basesections 5 are rocked on their fulcrum edges 7 their retaining-lugs 6 will be raised slightly in the retaining-seats 4. To preventthe upwardly-moving intermediate portions of the rocking bases 5 from resisting the above rocking movements of the base-sections 5 by their engagement with the bases of the spring, they are beveled at their upper intermediate portions, as shown at 9. To properly position the bases of the springs rotatively for the best actions on the divided bases 5, one section of each divided base, as shown, is provided with a stop-lug 10, with which the lower end of the copreating spring is engaged.

To limit the separating movements of the cap and base plate, a telescoping stop connection is provided. This stop connection is conveniently afforded by a sleeve 1l and a nutted bolt 12, the head of which bolt works within said sleeve and is normally pressed against the upper end web of the sleeve ll. rlhe lower end of said sleeve ll is upset or flared to prevent it from being drawn through the base- Aplate 3, and the nut of the bolt l2 rests in a depression of the cap-plate 2.

The parts between which the cushion is to be applied will engage one with the upper sui'- face of the cap-plate 2 and the other with the lower surface of the spring' base-plate 3. The cushion is especially adapted for use in railway-vehicles in connection with car-trucks and buffers, but is nevertheless serviceable generally wherever a device of its character is required.

The action of the cushion is probably clear from the foregoing description; but the following statement with respect thereto is deemed advisable: When the springs are compressed, they react on the split or divided spring-bases 5 and rock the sections thereof in opposite directions on their fulcrum edges 7, and such movements of the outer sections of the said spring-bases press downward or straighten out the upwardly-bent portions 3L of the spring base-plate 3 and force the upwardly-bent ends thereof more tightly against the downturned ends of the spring cap-plate 2. The compression of the springs can be acn com plished only by telescoping movements of the spring cap-plate and base-plate, and hence the frictional sliding engagements of the overlapping parts of said plates produce a frictional resistance to the movements of the spring, which is dependent to a considerable extent on the force applied to the springs and to the strength of the springs themselves. This frictional resistance, as is obvious and has been demonstrated in practice, acts as a dampener and overcomes to a very great extent the tendency of the springs to vibrate, except to assume positions to properly carry the load with a yielding or cushioning action.

In the foregoing detail description the plate 2 has been designated as a spring-cap7 and the plate 8 as a Lspring base-plate;77 but it will of course be understood that these terms are not used to limit the device as one adapted for use in any particular position, but simply for the purpose of definiteness in describing the device in the position illustrated in the .that the device might be turned upside down or into a horizontal position and would in many instances be used in each of these positions. The plates 2 and 3 form an open housing for the spring; but in some instances the said members might be made more ol cup-like form, so as to form a more complete housing for the spring.

From what has been said it will be understood that the device described is capable of modilication within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

That l claim, and desire to secure b v Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. Inaspring-eushion, the combination with frictionally-engaging members, of a split or divided rocking spring-base, independent of said two frictional members, acting on one ol said members, to maintain the frictional eng'agement between said two members, and aY spring compressed between said divided base and the other of said frictional members, substantially as described.

2. ln aspring-cushion, the combination with a pair of frictionally-engaging members. one of said members having a base bent out ol. a. straight line, of a plurality of divided rocking bases, one section of each ol which acts upon the bent base portion of the corresponding frictional member, to maintain the frictional engagement of the two members, and coiled springs compressed between said di vided bases and the other of said frictional members, substantially as described.

3. In aspring-cushion, thecoml'iination with a cap-plate 2 and a spring base-plate 3, said members having frictionally-engaging parts, the said members 3 having' its vbase bent at 3 and having retaining-seats 4f, of the divided rocking bases reacting on the base of said base-plate 3 and having' rctaini 11g-lugs (i working' in said seats et, and being beveled to lorm the fulcrum edges 7 engaging' the base of said plate 3, the coiled springs l compressed between the said divided bases and the` said spring-cap 2, and means for limiting the separating movements of the said plates 2 and 3, substantially as described.

t. In a spring-cushion, the combi nation w i th a pair of frictionally-engaging members, ol a divided rocking base, independent of said two frictional members, applied to one ol'I said members and movable to maintain the frietional engagement between said two members, and springs compressed between said divided base and the other ofsaid frictional members, substantially as described.

Aln a spring-cushion, theeombination with a pair of frictionally-engaging members, of a divided rocking base 5, made up oll the rocking section having' retaining-lugs engaging a seat in one of said frictional members, said rocking base-sections being beveled to form the fulcrum edges '7 and being further beveled drawings. lt is of course perfectly obvious at 9, to clear the spring, and a coiled spring lOO compressed between said divided bases and the other frictional member, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the spring eapplate 2 and the springbase-plate 3, said plates having frietionally-engaging ends, and the p said plate 3 having its base bent at 3, of the rlhe combination with frietional1y-engag ing members and a spring compressed between them, of a dividedrooking spring-base interposed between said spring-and one of said members, the sections of said divided springbase having adjacent retaining-lugs seated in the engaged member, and frietional spring retarding-surfaees throwninto engagement by the pressure of the spring on said divided spring-base, .substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD DENEGRE.

Witnesses z JAMES D. DENEGRE, MORRILL DUNN. 

